Hemithyroidectomy or not?

Hi KeepSmiling 

I'm sorry to hear about your situation and noticed that your post has not yet had any replies. I have had a different type of cancer so I hope you don't mind me responding. By responding it will place your post back at the top so that it will be seen by more members. In the meantime, it may be worth ringing the Macmillan helpline and you can speak to a nurse, this is the link to contact https://www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us/contact-us

Or you could book an appointment with your GP to discuss it with them. I hope you get some answers and help with your decision. Best regards.

A x

Sorry to hear this @KeepSmiling, I didn't have this choice so cannot really comment and had to have a TT and neck dissection, but just wanted to wish you all the best in whatever you decide.  Someone else with the same experience will hopefully answer your question soon x

Thank you for the replies. I’m going to ask some more questions when I go back to the Drs on Friday and hopefully that may help me decide!

Hi KeepSmiling 

im in the same situation of you.

it start everything when I notice a month ago my neck a bit swollen and I contact straight away my gp, which the doctor referred me for an urgent ultrasound and how he suspected i have numeros noduls on my neck and thyroid, and 2 of them they are tumours.  The doctor and his team had a meeting with me and they explaine to me everything and he put me on the waiting list for the surgery. Im really thankful for the quick work they have made for me,  what here in uk is not use to be unfortunately.

now im waiting for that ‘4 January’ and i hope i will be stronger than before because i have a 7 months old baby that i need to raise .

good luck to you too  many prayers for all of us

If the lumps are still growing, there comes a point when it doesn't really matter if they're cancer or not, they just need to come out.

My lump was 7 cm across and was pressing on my windpipe. If it grew much bigger, I would have struggled to breathe so the surgeon told me I couldn't carry on with a tangerine sticking out of my neck waiting for it to block my windpipe so it had to go.

I had follicular TC so my hemi was followed by a completion.

A couple of years later, my sister had a hemi and it was completely benign. More than a decade later, she's living happily with half a thyroid and not taking any thyroxine.

Whilst this is definitely NOT a recommendation, here's how I see the situation.

If these lumps are going to grow, you're going to have to have surgery sooner or later. They might be cancer or they might not, but either way, they're going to have to go. And they'll be easier to get rid of whilst they're at the current size. 

Thank you.

Thats what I was thinking - it’s currently 4cm so if it carries on growing then eventually I’ll need it out anyway.

The dr on Friday wants me to wait 3-6 months and have another biopsy and then take it from there. But like you said, even if it is benign surely it will have to come out.

I feel a bit despondent - there was all this urgency at first and now it seems like I’m going to be waiting at least 6 months just to move to the next step!